Liquid Pop

Three established artists, three different styles but one type of art, all of which hailing from California.

You may not be familiar with what, specifically, Californian art is, the curators of this show say, as it’s often overlooked in American art history. Perhaps this is because of the geographic distance from the New York and European art scene during and after World War II – the modern heyday of cross-atlantic cross-cultural fascination, some say. Regardless, Californian art history is rich, unique and influential to the larger art scene of the United States.

Three California-based artists are displaying their art in Tokyo, but are keen to state that this exhibition does not investigate the place of Californian art on the scene, nor – artists can be a confusing bunch – reveal anything in particular. Rather, it simply showcases three artists who have developed their studio practice, with each artist having been aware of one another’s art while working and living in California.

Joe Goode was a pioneering figure in the 60s LA art scene and his work combines elements of pop art and abstract expressionism. His well-known “milk bottle” is a perfect example of how he includes everyday objects in his artwork, in a simple manner. Shingo Francis and Jimi Gleason also re-create that kind of simplicity while using light, color and shadow to express a subjective content.